Page 75 of Crash and Burn
36
Rascal
The next morning,I’m woken up to a bunch of clatter coming from the kitchen. After listening to it for a few minutes, I get up and go see who is making all the noise. Walking into the kitchen, Diesel is searching the cabinets.
“Are you tryin’ to wake the dead in here?” I laugh.
He grins. “So what if I am?”
I shrug. “More people to help us go after the Cartel.”
“Hell yeah!” He chuckles. He gathers everything needed to make pancakes plus some bacon and eggs.
“So, I gotta ask. What’s goin’ on with you, Tink, and Hollywood?”
“Nothin’. I’ve been tryin’ to get closer to her, but she ain’t lettin’ either of us past the friend zone. She doesn’t want to choose one of us and it’s causing a rift between us,” he explains. “Though, H has been actin’ weird toward her lately.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“Tried. He won’t talk about it,” he says.
“He’s an interesting character.” I grin. “He’s like an onion, you gotta peel back the layers.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that.”
“Whatever is goin’ on between y’all, it’ll work itself out,” I assure him.
He nods his head, but doesn’t say anything else. I get the coffee maker set up to brew before more brothers start waking up.
By the time Diesel is finished cooking, everyone is awake. I find paper plates and plastic forks and set them on the counter. Diesel has butter, syrup and peanut butter out for the pancakes and hot sauce, A1 and ketchup for the eggs.
“Everything’s ready. Grab a plate,” he says to me.
After breakfast, I take my coffee and sit outside. It doesn’t take long before Saint joins me.
“You ready to get your Ol’ Lady back?” He drops into the chair next to me.
“Been ready.”
“I still can’t believe you of all people found a lady to tame you.” He chuckles.
“I’m livin’ proof that there’s someone for everyone.”
He shakes his head with a smirk. He zones out, staring out toward the horizon.
“You alright, bro?” I snap him out of his daze.
“Honestly, this shit with Marley finding out Niko is her dad got me thinkin’ about my own family.”
“What about it,” I ask.
“I was adopted,” he says. “I’ve been goin’ back and forth about whether or not to ask my parents about my biological parents.”
“That’s some heavy shit. Have you decided what you’re gonna do?
“Nah, not yet.”
We sit outside for a while, drinking coffee and talking shit. After a bit Ratchet comes outside.
